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Ramming (Tactic)
Ramming is a last resort tactic in War Thunder which consists of colliding or "ramming" your vehicle into surface units, water units or enemy airplanes. Contrary to popular belief, ramming was used in World War II by all sides, in all battlespaces, but only as an extreme or last-resort act, due to the high danger to the ramming vehicle. The ramming party often hoped to survive this ordeal. The Japanese later in the war began to deliberately ram enemy aircraft and ground targets, predominantly ships, with the full intent to die in the process. These pilots were called Kamikazes, the correct term is Shinpû Tokkoutai (神風特攻隊). though the attacks did not rely on physical impact, but more the explosives that were carried. It should be noted that ramming in the game does not give any rewards, other than a title that states that you are a rammer. Due to the title's visibility, it can serve as an intimidation tactic, discouraging enemies from engaging in head-ons with the pilot. Air Ramming The most common form of ramming is air ramming. You fly your aircraft at your enemy and collide with them. This often occurs when two aircraft meet head-on and neither is willing to turn away. With that, one or both of the airplanes are destroyed, but in some cases, one or both aircraft may only suffer minor or no damage at all. Air ramming is widely regarded as the most despicable battle tactic, due to both pilots being killed and no rewards earned by either side.(citation needed: By whom) Ramming bombers is also quite popular. Seeing as they are larger targets it's easier to shear off a wing or the tail. Some aircraft in War Thunder are known to be quite durable against ramming. The F4F Wildcats can sustain a head-on ram, though doing so is not advised. The early Spitfires can also prove to be resilient, as some rams can hit the wing, yet leave the Spitfire generally undamaged and able to return to an airfield and repair. Also, most biplanes, given they have extra wings, are very durable and can often survive multiple hits. Some rams can end with neither side being killed, and instead modules, such as the fuselage and wings, will turn black. Be advised however, the inertia from a ram can cause serious uncontrolled spins, that can not only cause you to crash but leave you as an easy target against enemy aircraft. It should be noted that since the introduction of Jets, ramming in the conventional sense at the top tier is no longer viable, as is the case in real life, with the probability of successfully executing and surviving a ramming attack steadily decreasing. Ramming is not to be confused with an accidental collision. Ground Ramming Ground ramming is the act of intentionally ramming an aircraft into a ground target, often a tank which cannot be destroyed by cannon or machine gun fire. Ground ramming is often ineffective, as a pilot cannot make last minute course corrections due to the speed of the aircraft. Ground ramming was rendered ineffective by patch 1.37. With the addition of tanks into War Thunder, certain fast-moving heavy vehicles can actually knock out the crew of a smaller, lighter tank. This appears to be a similar mechanic to falling down cliffs in Karelia or hitting rocks at really high speeds (ie. a T-60). Although it is more considered, pushing, you can force an enemy tank into the water or off a cliff. However, you will only get kill credit if you previously damaged it. Sea Ramming The act of ramming large or small enemy sea vessels with a plane. It was also made ineffective by patch 1.37. With the addition of naval ships into War Thunder, naval ramming is a possible tactic. As with tanks, larger and faster moving ships will deal more structural damage and crew casualties to smaller, slower ships. There is an achievement for destroying an enemy vessel by ramming. This harks back to the Age of Sail, when Ramming was a widespread, even primary means of disabling or boarding enemy vessels. Ramming In World War II The First official Kamikaze Attacks by the Japanese Began in October of 1944. The first attacks began in the battle of Letye Gulf and continued until August 15th, 1945. The Kamikaze attacks were relatively effective, sinking 47 US ships and damaging approximately 300 more. The 1st attacks occurred during the battle of Letye Gulf, and attacked Taffy 3, which was supporting US forces on the island of Samar, and had only just fought off Admiral Kurita's main force, including several heavy cruisers and the battleship Yamato. Kamikazes sunk the escort carrier St. Lo and damaging 3 more. There are also numerous instances of tanks and ships ramming during the war. Famously, the HMS Campbell disguised itself as a German vessel and rammed Normandie dock, disabling it. In World War II, there was at least one incident of a tank ramming an enemy tank. In 1944, an Irish Guards Sherman rammed a Tiger II. References 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze#History 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramming Category:Tips Category:War Thunder Category:Tactic Category:Article stubs